The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-22

a couple of hours. and then, seeing
nothing further, concluded was mis-
taken. and went down into the shaft
l filed the bucket with very heavy ore,
climbed up. and had it about half
raised, when a man came walking up
the creek bed toward me. Then knew
that was right before.
HE was an ugly-looking customer,
big and brawny. with a fat, Scandina-
Wan face, and carried 4 Winchester on
his arm. l had little stick that !
slipped into the windlass handle near
the axle, to keep it from turning back
ward, and, leaving the bucket Just
where it was, suspended half way UP,
| started toward the cabin to get my
arms. lie covered me with his repeat
ing rifle and ordered me to halt.
"'What are you doing on ny claim?
he said.
~ reckon you can see,' replied,
putting as good face on it as posi-
bly, could.
"'You mean you jumped it, you
cursed theft
mo, don't. There wasn't enough
work on it to hold it, and it was as
much mine as anybody's.'
"'You lier
''He looked at me over the sights
with his wicked greenish eyes for full
minute. Then he said:
Did you ever pray?'
Eyes faltered.
"'Then pray now. I'll give you two
minutes to do it.
by that time my mind was clear
enough to take in the whole situation,
and | had no doubt but he intended to
murder me then and there. With me
out of the way there would be no one
to testify to the insufficient work, and
1 would simply be regarded-if the
story of my death was ever tobias a
claim-jumper who had been justly dealt
with. l felt my knees begin to trem-
bic, and tried another rock
"'If you kill me, said, my partner
will be back and sec that you hang for
it.
"Tn fix your partner the same
way. you claim-jumping cur
"True enough. Nothing could be
easier than to assassinate Burke on his
return, and we had so jealousy guarded
the secret of our trip that no one would
know where to search for us. We
would simply disappear, as hundreds
of prospectors do, never to he seen by
men again, and speedily to be forgot
ten. l had no hope of mercy from the
instant looked into that mans cruel
face. felt, with sickening quaiin
and wild drumming in my ears, that
my time had come.
"'Oh! for Heavens sake, don't muir
der mel cried. 4 will go
1.-The man made no reply. For mo-
ment my head swan, and then. with
sudden return of vision that was excru-
ciating in its clearness. saw him stoop
rest the gun-barrel over the
and marked even that
slight contraction of the eyelid that
always just precedes shot. The next
instant there was crash, an explosion
and 2 cry, all mingled into one. saw
the man turning head over heels down
the embankment, the Winchester flying
through the air, and all the while heard
a loud. mOnOtonCus whirring noise that
was like some gigantic clock running
down.
al did not realize it at the time, but
this is what had happened: When he
rested his gun across the windlass ne
dropped the barrel right against the
little stick bad thrust in to prevent it
turning. and Knocked it out. l sup
pose the bucket of ore weighed 80
pounds, and the great iron handle,
swinging clear around, gained such
terrific momentum that when it struck
him full in the face, which it did, it
lifted him of his feet like a cannon
ball. The gun was discharged by the
shock, but the bullet went nowhere
near me. Before regained my senses
l heard the bucket strike the bottom
with a smash.
when picked up the man he was
but moaning little, and
blood was trickling out of his ears.
His gnn was broken. He lay at the
cabin for week or two, and after
got back we managed to get
him to Silver City. There the doctors
put his face in sort of plaster-of-
paris cast, but although the wound
healed, he was out of his head, and
eventually died. The night before he
passed away he motioned for little slate
he used to write on-for he couldn't
speak. He was very weak, and it took
him long time, but at last he scrawled:
"'Who hit me?'
Before they could tell him he tainted |
away. The mine? o, the mine |
'pinched out af .er a while and disap-
pointed us. J. sold my interest to
Burke, and 1 think after working it for |
a year he gave upin disgust and moved
away."-EI Pdso Inter-RepublicS.
A Eauu Eaehioo Nofas